Archive By Author - Martin L. Cahn

Acting on a tip, Kershaw County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) narcotics agents arrested James Albert Dorris, 35, of Camellia Lane, Lugoff, for manufacturing methamphetamine in the bathroom of his home. The agents also received word that Dorris had booby-trapped the back door with a shotgun.

David Dowey, the former head of the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) narcotics division, is suing Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews for $2 million claiming Matthews has made defamatory statements about him. That brings the total number of defamation suits against Matthews to four seeking a total of $8 million in actual and punitive damages.

Seven or eight years ago, I spent a good chunk of time following a legal fight involving the city of Camden over Kirkwood Common. At one point, I'd attended a circuit court hearing on the matter and then waited months to learn the judge's decision.

An examination of a 36-page petition opposing Camden City Council's proposal to use hospitality taxes to build a YMCA of Columbia-managed sports complex reveals that nearly half of those signing the petition live outside the city limits of Camden.

Drivers in Kershaw County are going to see a lot more activity from the Camden and Elgin police departments, Kershaw County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) and S.C. Highway Patrol (SCHP) thanks to grant money being funneled through the ALPHA Center.

Thanks to the combined efforts of a Kershaw County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) investigator and S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED) agent, five men are facing murder charges in a 3-year-old home invasion and murder case. All five of the men are already in prison, two of them for another home invasion and murder this May.

Camden City Councilman X. Willard Polk is getting something he's wanted for a few months now. Beginning Sept. 8, council will tape record its work sessions. There is also a possibility that formal minutes will be taken of those work sessions.

Beginning Dec. 28, Columbia-based Carolina Care will provide physicians to KershawHealth's emergency department. KershawHealth President and CEO Donnie Weeks informed the KershawHealth Board of Trustees of the move in an executive session during the board's Aug. 22 meeting and released details to the public Wednesday.

Camden City Council took another step forward on its path to build a possible YMCA of Columbia-run sports complex. On a split 3-1 vote, with Councilman Pat Partin absent and Councilman Willard Polk voting against, council authorized City Manager Kevin Bronson to enter negotiations with JHS Architecture of Columbia to design the complex.

The 7-year-old girl in the red short-sleeve shirt and pink pajama-style pants with polka dots sits down in the deep-cushioned seat and starts thumbing through a book. Her long brown bangs sway as she swings back and forth in the chair, politely -- and directly -- answering questions of the woman sitting across from her.

The city of Camden can use proceeds from its hospitality tax to fund the construction of a proposed sports complex on the former grounds of Boylan-Haven-Mather Academy. That's the opinion of Margaret Pope, of Pope Zeigler Law Firm, who has often advised the city on the legal uses of public finances.

KershawHealth generated $1.1 million in operating income in February thanks to collecting a $1.8 million tax debt set-off from a S.C. Association of Counties (SCAC) program. Without the SCAC collection, KershawHealth would have experienced a $700,000 operational loss for the month.

Kershaw County School District (KCSD) officials offered a list of deferred maintenance projects to the Kershaw County Board of School Trustees' finance/facilities committee Tuesday. KCSD Director of Operations Billy Smith said the list is based on safety, security, health energy efficiency and other factors.